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Monthly Archives: November 2014

Last Thursday night, I headed up to the Trinity River to go steelhead fishing. I met Tim and his friend James in Williams, where we parked my car and continued in James’ SUV to Steiner Flat campground, near Douglas City. We stayed for three nights, so we had a full two and a half days on the river. It’s a long way from San Francisco, but very much worth the drive. This is Part Five because I’ve done a similar trip several times before, but never with this much success.

Tim’s big one

In recent years, steelhead fishing has become the ultimate angler’s challenge for me. It’s a whole different game than trout fishing. With trout, you have some idea where the fish will hold in a river, based on where they will find food and protection from predators.

Hawks and eagles cause trout to be wary of shallow, open water

Trout will often find a niche and stay there. Steelhead are the same species as rainbow trout, but they behave like salmon, migrating downstream to the ocean where they live for several years before returning to their birthplace to spawn. When they are moving upriver, they are not actively feeding, nor are they holding in one place. Finding the fish becomes fairly difficult, and getting them to bite even more so.

Searching for the best holes from the road

Given the rarity of success, steelhead anglers adopt certain mantras. Steelhead are believed to have a prodigious sense of smell, perhaps even better than that of trout. Rainy weather just before fishing is good, as it causes an increase in flows that breaks the sandbar at the ocean and brings the scent of the spawning grounds to the steelhead waiting to run upstream. Overcast weather helps keep the fisherman less visible while casting. An early start is best, and most fish are caught before the sun hits the water. There seems to be some truth to these beliefs, but following them will not guarantee success. As James said, “you can’t catch the fish if your fly’s not in the water.” Whatever the facts, fighting a steelhead is an epic experience, one that keeps me coming back even when I strike out.

Fall colors on the Trinity River

I caught three adult steelhead, one on each day, which is the most I’ve caught in one trip. Before this trip, I had only caught one.

Over the past twenty years or so, one thread has bound my outdoor adventures together: the pursuit of fish. Of all the gamefish in the western US, trout hold the most appeal for me. They are beautiful, wily, and sometimes unpredictable quarry. They live in cold, oxygen-rich waters, which often requires travel to remote mountain rivers and lakes. And sometimes, they get really big. The thrill of hooking a big trout is like the thrill I get when I hear a really good song: a deep shock to the senses that anchors me in the present moment. Whatever the size of fish, it’s also just a lot of fun.

9/14/12: Brook trout in Dusy Basin, CA

I have to thank my father for instilling a love of fishing in me. He stocked the pond behind our house with largemouth bass, which proved a worthy adversary in my early forays with bobber and worm. As soon as we were ready, he took my brothers and me to the South Fork of the Yuba River to chase after trout. As a young fisherman, I had two more role models in my friends Tim and Burton. They were both a bit older than me, and they somehow always caught more, bigger fish than I did. I’m almost thirty years old, and I’m still following them up rivers and trying to learn more about trout fishing.

I looked back through my photo library and picked out what I thought were the most memorable fishing moments. Though I usually take all the photos in my posts, some of these are by Joel or my dad. There’s a story behind each fishing trip, so if you’re using an RSS reader, you might want to view the photos in your browser instead to see the comments.

6/18/06: Where it all started - South Yuba River, CA

8/12/06: Dad fishing at dusk on a backpacking trip to Pioneer Basin, CA

8/13/06: Colin with a few nice ones

8/13/06: Colin chasing fish in the high country

8/13/06: Dad fishing below the shoulders of giant peaks

8/22/06: Tim on an excursion to Rocky Lakes Basin, CA

8/23/06: Golden trout, native to the high Sierra

8/24/06: Casting from a high place in scenic Miter Basin. Sky Blue Lake, CA

8/24/06: Big golden trout on big grasshopper pattern

8/24/06: Dad with a nice golden

8/24/06: This is the site of a family legend, where Tim hooked a huge golden trout that got away. Iridescent Lake, CA